The Hills have Rods

Craig Dixon puts this run on single handed each year and does a fantastic job. It is so well organized you would think it was put on by a national club.. yes it is that good… but not as stuffy?? if that’s the right word.. What Craig’s do does different is that there is no show and shine day so there are no trophies so you dont get any trophy hunting or bitchness that they produce.. its just great fun. What this run has though is lots of driving even in crappy weather… which it was this year in buckets. If it is throwing it down that doesn’t stop the fun, there is no Marquee to hide from it either its pure old fashioned camp in a field have the crack and drive ya car.
Well some (like me) use caravans and some posh ones stay in wood cabins… oh and the really posh ones stay in local B&B’s or holiday homes… so ya pays ya money and all that.

With the beautiful campsite being only a few miles from the Scottish border it does attract a fair share of the Gaelic Rodders and Yank fans. Others make the trip over from the east coast and much traveled Rodder Kev Rooney and his wife Marion made the massive trip from Plymouth for the 2nd year WoW…

This is a must do run for me as it is the most local and also it is the most fun. The atmosphere is laid back, you can walk the edge of the Lake into Pooley Bridge as we do on the Friday and Saturday late afternoons to sample some local hostelry “like ya do” Great food and velvet local brew… a few rods and Yanks burbling by and good company oh all set in the lush surroundings of the picturesque Lake District.. ahh what more could you want?

So its basically chill thursday (set up day for us) go walk about Friday with a meal and a few scoops, Saturday big drive out and a Barby followed by the fantastic entertainment of the Catz in the club house at night with some great laughs with the Rodding crowd.

Sunday is a late start with a run up to Hartside and then down camp for us, but those that stay over get a free Barby at Craig’s Des Res just up the road.. Awesome is the only word that sums this run up.. Well done Craig and Thank you!

Here are some photos and a brief breakdown of what happened from my perspective that is. I hope you enjoy… as many people have described it … my Shit write up!

Pete Edwards (red 35) and Col Young (model A) always make a week of the Hotrods and Hills run. Pudzz Christened Pete “Prostate Pete” as we say Pete going to the loo every 15mins or so ;o)..

Omega Diesel powered Chevy Truck up from Stoke way.

Not usually into the 50’s yank motors much but this Late 50’s Caddy and Airstream were Awesome. The Caddy was used as a wedding car over the weekend.

Saturday Drive out:

Another Local guy Adrian (Shed) member of the Harley Riders club bought this cool Chevy Truck last year and was looking forward to the Hot rods and Hills do he has been before in the Sundays on his Harley braving some shit weather to see the Rods.. this year he was there for the weekend. He did ask if his truck would be acceptable ;o)…. Hell yes! well into the 50’s scene him and his wife are as cool as their truck ;o)

Love this ex CC feature Van was great to see this being used and attacking the Lake District mountain pass’s.

A few of the cars lining up for the Saturday drive.

Tried to move out the way when I was taking a photo……

But I got him to pose in the end.. a safe driver to ;o)

I was told of Johnny Bests ordeal on his trip up to Ullswater, He was taking it easy as it was pissing down and his wife was in the RV in front. He was aware of a trucker tail gating him. Then on the climb up into Cumbria on the M6 the trucker decides to try and overtake, then realizes he cant do it and comes back in clipping the rear of Johnny’s steel 34 sedan and sends him sideways up the motorway… and pushing him a fair wedge of the way before realizing what he had done. The 34 suffered some nasty damage and Johnny was well shook up.. or so I would of thought.

But seeing him goofing round I guess he don’t let shit like that bother him as he was up for the lakes challenge on both days.. To quote Johnny ” Thank Goodness for unsticky tyres” 

Kev and Marion Rooney line up in their new A pickup alongside a cool looking 34.

Louis does his Mary Poppins impersonation before he takes a ride in his fenderless steel 33 coupe.

Fenderless 32 ready to create some fine rooster tails round the Lakes National park.

We had a few Trucks to..

So we get well into the run out Saturday and I have negotiated some very narrow roads that went up and down.. then as I moved over to let yet another vehicle coming the other way pass.. I thought that’s odd my gear lever is leaning over at a very weird angle… “Hum?”.. then as I got going and changed into 4th… whoooo the gear lever snapped off leaving about 1inch of gear lever attached to the gearbox. “Bugger”.. I managed to get it into 3rd and battled on up some mad roads and downs some even madder ones.. at one point a car in front stopped as he saw a car in the distance coming toward him,??? fuking hell if I stop on this hill I wont get started again.. the clutch was already smelling from all the slipping I was having to do. So I just couldn’t stop and drove up along side shouting out my window sorry dude I cant stop I have no gear lever.. he looked scared and amazed as I trundled past and made the car coming the other way stop for us!
As I rounded yet another narrow bend I was confronted with Winlatter pass or was it Honister? I stopped at the base.. pondering my next move. I could see Rods in the distance stopping for cars coming down.. I wouldn’t be able to do that “Hum?”…. there was no telephone signal so abandoning the run was out of the question I needed to get out of the Valley.. my Mrs was getting a sweat on… and so was I. several Cars stopped but there was nothing anyone could do I had to get myself out of this one… so with some jiggery pokery I managed to get 2nd gear. Craig stopped next with Pete Edwards at the wheel of his cool as 35 and they offered to clear the way so I could get a clear run up the pass…..

Sorry no more photos as I had to keep my wits about me, but actually there was no panic just a bit of fun using 1 inch of lever to get into 3rd as we neared civilization.

Into Keswick and a much needed cuppa a few attempts to fix up a temporary lever all to no avail but I did mange to get 4th and used that to cruise back to camp where me and Pudzz took the lever and shifter up to the camp site owners stables and I welded it up using his gear…

Saturday Night is Catz Night! 

There had been a wedding in the daytime, not sure who or whether it was Rodders or not. But the theme apparently was Mexican here are some of the Muchacho’s

Grooving in ya Kilt. and my mate Pudzz was getting acquainted with the Scots ;o)

My mate Odgie was getting a few shots in for his Custom Car write up
The Catz as always were brilliant and the crack was good… cant be arsed writing any more.. so will do the Sunday run write up in a day or two.. promise.